Top Draft Prospect Confirms Conversation With Browns

The Cleveland Browns are in search of offensive line help in the draft, and the team has made contact with one of the top left tackle options in Georgia’s Andrew Thomas.

Thomas confirmed that he had a conversation with the Browns, speaking with general manager Andrew Berry over FaceTime, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com

“Andrew said I had a lot of the intangibles that they’re looking to add to their team, good character,” Thomas told cleveland.com. “They feel that translates to playing on the field, so I feel that’s something I have.

“I played three years in the SEC at both right tackle and left tackle,’’ he said. “I dominated every year and I feel like I’m the best tackle in this class.”

Here’s how NFL.com describes Thomas in their draft profile:

Three-year starter and current bellcow of a line that is a consistent front-runner for the Joe Moore Award. He’s played both tackle spots but may get first crack at playing on the left side, due to the dearth of talent there. Thomas is a gritty player with above-average recovery talent to “get the job done” when his process breaks down. He’s a Day 1 starter who comes in well-coached and technically savvy, but occasional leaning, lunging and inconsistent knee bend in pass pro could be isolated and attacked by pass-rush wolves looking to feast if he doesn’t get those areas cleaned up.

Berry: Don’t Make Any Assumptions About Browns Draft Plans

The Browns have the No. 10 pick in the draft, so a prospect like Thomas, or any of the other offensive line prospects in the stacked class, make sense to shore up a spot on the offense that needs attention.

However, Berry made it clear in his conference call with reporters this week that no one should make assumptions on what the Browns will do with their pick.

“Jack (Conklin) has played left tackle before. Chris Hubbard has played left tackle before. Kendall Lamm has played left tackle,” Berry told reporters, per cleveland.com. “I would not make any assumptions about what we may or may not do moving forward.”

Browns Added Big Piece to Line With Jack Conklin

The Browns made a splash in free agency by signing right tackle Jack Conklin to a three-year, $42 million deal.

Conklin was drafted No. 8 overall by the Tennessee Titans in 2016 out of Michigan State. He started 38 of his 39 career games — 35 at left tackle, three at right tackle — with the Spartans.

Conklin was a first-team All-Pro selection his rookie year and has started every game of his NFL career that he’s been healthy for. He played just nine games in 2018 due to injury, but hasn’t missed a game in his other three seasons.

“He’s a really smart, tough football player,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said of Conklin, via the Browns official site. “From what I have heard about him and talked to former coaches and teammates, he’s all about ball. I think he’s going to really fit in with that offensive line group led by Coach (Bill) Callahan. I think those guys are the pulse of your football team, the guys up front on the offensive and defensive lines. … I think Jack represents everything we want to be as a team.”

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